PEOPLE GOING THROUGH BORDER - LAST BRITISH COUPLE TO GO THROUGH BEFORE GATES CLOSE AND LOCKED.




Initials AA/VS/MR/PF



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: SPAIN REINFORCED ITS POLICE GUARD AT THE GIBRALTAR BORDER TODAY (MONDAY) AS ITS NEW FRONTIER RESTRICTIONS CAME INTO FORCE. THE FRONTIER IS NOW CLOSED TO ALL BUT SPANISH WORKERS WHO GO DAILY INTO THE BRITISH COLONY TO EARN THEIR LIVING.

OUR CAMERAMAN WAS AT THE BORDER VERY LATE LAST NIGHT WHEN THE LAST BRITISH COUPLE CAME THROUGH THE BORDER AND THE GATES WERE LOCKED BEHIND THEM. NOW ONLY THE 5,000 SPANISH WORKERS WILL BE ABLE TO WALK THROUGH. GIBRALTAR STILL DEPENDS LARGELY ON SPANISH LABOUR AND ALTHOUGH THE MADRID AUTHORITIES ARE PUSHING FORWARD WITH INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS IN THE HINTERLAND ADJOINING THE ROCK, THERE IS STILL INSUFFICIENT EMPLOYMENT IN SPAIN FOR THE LABOURERS WHO WORK IN GIBRALTAR.

SPAIN SAID IT WAS CLOSING THE FRONTIER BECAUSE BRITAIN HAD DECLARED IT HAD NO INTENTION OF HEEDING LAST DECEMBER'S U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY VOTE BACKING SPANISH CLAIMS FOR RETURN OF THE ROCK.